Bellator bringing fights to NASCAR

Bellator MMA announced on Monday that it will partner with Monster Energy and several tracks to hold matches at select races in 2017. The relationship is specifically between Monster and Bellator and not with NASCAR.

The specific match ups have yet to be announced, but Bellator has stated that the following races will have MMA bouts featured on the event:

Monster Energy All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 20

Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 19

Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 15

Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 19

They did this with monster at a few motocross events in the past and was a success.This is pretty cool and I'd definitely attend if it were closer to me.

tildengolfer

4/5/17 6:45:58PM

I have mixed emotions. While it will garner more viewers, is this the legitimate move for the sport a better one in the long run? I never thought I'd see a combo like this, I know there was a fight card where motocross bikes were flying overhead while people were fighting in a cage, I thought it was tacky and believed it would cause dirt to get into the ring. But as Coker said, 'never underestimate the power of broadcast cable' or something along those lines.

isk

4/5/17 8:40:28PM

This feels like Megadeth playing live at an Affliction event

FKA

4/5/17 8:47:14PM

Lmao...

The bellator motocross thing was the same setup as the NASCAR thing will be...

A set up cage outside the venue that tajes place BEFORE the race........no dirt bikes were flying overhead lol or anywhere near the cage.

I think its smart to try and get more casual fans tuned in....if you look at nascar gans many of them are WWE fans if they are exposed to a live mma bout the potential for fan retention is pretty high.

I doubt it will feature any big names as far as fighters but fans will see good action.

FlashyG

4/5/17 10:06:14PM

smells like desperation to me.

tildengolfer

4/6/17 1:56:09AM

I did a little google research and I was remembering "Backflips and Beatdowns". That's what was creeping in my mind lol.

BillsNewAccount

4/6/17 10:15:05AM

Posted by FlashyG

smells like desperation to me.

LOL

Nothing more embarrassing than a fight org looking desperate.

airkerma

4/6/17 11:51:45AM

Posted by BillsNewAccount

Posted by FlashyG

smells like desperation to me.

LOL

Nothing more embarrassing than a fight org looking desperate.

Is he wrong though? Pretty sure nobody here was in favor of cm punk

BillsNewAccount

4/6/17 2:36:28PM

Posted by airkerma

Posted by BillsNewAccount

Posted by FlashyG

smells like desperation to me.

LOL

Nothing more embarrassing than a fight org looking desperate.

Is he wrong though? Pretty sure nobody here was in favor of cm punk

The UFC sold for $4 billion around the time they put out that horse shit fight. The point being, the UFC wasn't desperate for viewership nor is Bellator. They are just using a gimmick to boost viewership. They've both done it before and will continue to do it into the foreseeable future.

FlashyG

4/6/17 2:37:13PM

Posted by BillsNewAccount

Posted by FlashyG

smells like desperation to me.

LOL

Nothing more embarrassing than a fight org looking desperate.

Who said that wasn't desperate?

Do you have a point to make?

BillsNewAccount

4/6/17 2:42:51PM

Posted by FlashyG

Posted by BillsNewAccount

Posted by FlashyG

smells like desperation to me.

LOL

Nothing more embarrassing than a fight org looking desperate.

Who said that wasn't desperate?

Do you have a point to make?

LOL

You say desperate like the UFC was going to go belly up if people didn't tune in to watch CM Punk get his ass beat.

FKA

4/6/17 3:27:56PM

Bills point is its not desperate to open casual fans up to mma.....in fact its a smart business move.

Bringing mma to nascar fans could garner alot of new fans to mma.

Desperate would mean they are in financial woes or ratings are bad(wsof lmao)neither of which are the case.Its a move to get in the eyes of new fans.

Bisping vs gsp though......now thats desperate

JLS

4/6/17 10:43:53PM

Posted by FKA

Bills point is its not desperate to open casual fans up to mma.....in fact its a smart business move.

Bringing mma to nascar fans could garner alot of new fans to mma.

Desperate would mean they are in financial woes or ratings are bad(wsof lmao)neither of which are the case.Its a move to get in the eyes of new fans.

Bisping vs gsp though......now thats desperate

I wouldn't call GSP/Bisping desperate. But I'm a long time fan of GSP. I think the actual fight that turned me into a big fan was when i bet GSP to beat Hughes. And GSP dominated and finished that fight.

However i have mixed views on him getting an immediate Title Shot at MW. He did leave as the Champ (WW) was dominant for years and years so if anyone deserves an instant Title shot he does, went out on TOP and you can make a case for him being the greatest of all time.

My problem is he never fought at MW and there's 2 guys in particular that should be fighting for the strap. Romero and Jacare. And Mousasi, if he beats WideMan will be right there too.

FKA

4/7/17 11:42:20PM

Ufcs new owners need to make quotas in reguard to the debt they have due to the loan.

They need big money fights GSP is a big seller and will get more buys the romero or mousasi or anyone else really.

Its desperation to get ppv buys instead of giving deserving fighters their respect.Jacare,romero been gettin straight ducked.